Ben Nevis Traditional Peated Malt

 

 

 

46°

Distillery : Ben Nevis - Highlands 

Sherry and Bourbon Casks

Original Bottling 

Core Range

Single Malt 

Launched in 2023

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured

Peated around 30 ppm

 

 

 

This expression is completely new, dating from this summer apparently. However, it is very likely to be more or less the same as Mc Donald's Celebrated Traditional, first launched in 2010 to celebrate the distillery's 185th anniversary, then relaunched in 2019 with a new label. It is a young juice, probably 5 years old, matured mainly in Sherry casks, and peated at around 30 or even 35 ppm. The idea is to recreate old-fashioned whiskies, as they were made in the 19th century. We can therefore assume that with this new expression, only the name and label have changed.

Let's Taste It : 

Velvety nose, fig and chocolate, raisin pudding, bewitching smoke, cereals in the background, apricots, quinces, fruit purée, pumpkin and carrots. Coffee grounds. Warm, woody palate, once again full of chocolate and coffee, dried banana, prunes, the peat gives the distillate its full dimension, rich spices, nutmeg, pepper, cloves. The finish is quite long, pleasant, foresty, with undergrowth, bark, bay leaf, and more chocolate, dried fruits, damp leather, exotic wood, earth good for ploughing.

 

In Short, 

The peat gives it all its fullness, and I found that in the end, despite its youth, it was better than the recent 10 year old. Apparently it's nowhere to be found at the moment, so we'll have to wait a few weeks or months before it's available in all the specialist shops, at which point we'll see whether the price is reasonable.

Score : 87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

 

                                           The Winery Dogs - Stars